She lives with her parents and five siblings in a village of 100 inhabitants in a rural area of Laos, where life is not easy.

Soun recounts how an average of three to four people used to die each year, including her younger brother, who passed away when he was just three months old.

Soun’s father, Kham-On, says, “I believe my child died due to the poor health of his mother at the time. I remember how my family would frequently get sick from drinking and cooking with water from the river and how our village was dirty and full of flies due to a lack of sanitation.”

“I had to carry water from the river every day and we used unclean water for cooking and drinking,” says Soun. “It was very hard during the raining season because we do not have the toilet in our home; I have to go around to the village instead.”

A lot has changed since World Vision brought child sponsorship to this village. The village now has water pumps and the villagers have access to clean water. This not only means that they are not drinking and cooking with dirty water from the river, but also that they don’t have to fetch the water and carry heavy water containers.

The sanitation in the village has also been improved through a World Vision funded loan program to build latrines in houses. World Vision supplies the materials and know-how for building the latrines, and the families pay back a manageable amount every month until the total cost is repaid.

“In the future, I want to be a teacher, I want to teach the children in her villages,” says Soun.

Soun’s father can see the difference these improvements have made to his village.

“These activities have solved our health issues, especially for children. I don’t worry so much, now that my children are much healthier,” says Kham-On. “I am very happy that World Vision has supported our village and our children and would like to thank the people who support World Vision.”

“I am happy with my new latrine and clean water,” adds Soun. “I could take a bath with clean water and use the latrine every time that I want and no need to go around to the village as before.”

In addition to seeing improvements relating to health and sanitation, Kham-On has also become an enthusiastic supporter of education after he attended World Vision community sessions on the value of education.

“After I attended these sessions, I understood how important it is for my children to be educated and I will do my best to support my children in their studies even though I am poor,” says Kham-On.

He is pleased that his children are being supported to get a better education through their involvement in World Vision’s child sponsorship program and the improvements that have been made to the local school. “World Vision contributed desks and seats, and the parents in the village are happy that our children now have new school furniture,” says Kham-On.

Help bring clean water and education to children in parts of the world without access to them. Sponsor a child today!